Friday, September 24, 2010

What I Heard/Saw This Week: U.S. Christmas

Run Thick In The Night is definitely a contender for best album artwork. Information regarding the new album from U.S. Christmas is below.

Via Earsplit PR:

Psychedelic, high-volume blues rock ensemble U.S. CHRISTMAS will release their long-anticipated fifth full-length, Run Thick In The Night, via Neurot Recordings on September 20, 2010. The disc was recorded by Sanford Parker at Fahrenheit Studio in Johnson City, Tennessee, mixed by Parker and USX members Nate Hall, Matt Johnson and Josh Holt at Semaphore Studios in Chicago, IL and mastered by Collin Jordan.

Hailing from the Appalachian Mountains in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee, U.S. CHRISTMAS create a kaleidoscopic brand of sound that evades easy classification. Founded in Marion, North Carolina in the summer of 2002, the band played rough biker bars, art spaces, and house shows all over the southeast dirt circuit for years, self-releasing albums in rough CDR format. Scott Kelly of Neurosis heard the band’s third record, Salt The Wound (released in Russia by the label RAIG) through his show on Combat Music Radio/KMBT, which inevitably lead to the release of the band’s fourth album Eat The Low Dogs on Neurot Recordings.

USX now approaches a decade of playing, recording, and evolving, and continues to blur the boundaries of heavy music with earsplitting rock that is by turns jangly, crushing, dark and truly eclectic. Said Hall of the upcoming release: "This record followed some difficult times for many of us, and I think you can hear that in RTITN. It is not as lyrically dark as ETLD, however it is a continuation of those elements. Run Thick In The Night is rooted in something outside of us, but is driven by a clear and persistent vision. It was necessary for USX to make this album, and it was something I absolutely had to do. I can't really explain it any better than to simply say that it is a very personal, spiritual album for me. ...When I hear the music now I see distinct real places that have, over time, woven into my imagination and become surreal.

"We recorded the entire 13-song album in one weekend in Tennessee, with Sanford Parker at the helm," he continues. "Our friend Travis Kammeyer helped out a lot with studio time and he added some really cool Hammond organ sounds. Minsk drummer Tony Wyioming also played hand drums on a few tracks. Our friend from North Carolina, Hush, did the original artwork, which I think really fits the mood perfectly. Josh Graham from Neurosis/A Storm Of Light did the layout work for us, and it was the perfect finishing touch. I am really proud of RTITN, and really proud of everyone in USX."

There were shows scheduled in mid-September to promote the new album, which released last week. In the meantime, I've attached live footage from their appearance during the Hopscotch Festival. Guests included Weedeater, Black Skies, Harvey Milk and Public Enemy.